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Cytology laboratory technician vs assistant laboratory technician

The differences between cytology laboratory technicians and assistant laboratory technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a cytology laboratory technician and an assistant laboratory technician. Additionally, a cytology laboratory technician has an average salary of $46,680, which is higher than the $35,556 average annual salary of an assistant laboratory technician.

The top three skills for a cytology laboratory technician include clinical laboratory, laboratory equipment and routine maintenance. The most important skills for an assistant laboratory technician are patients, ladders, and computer lab.

Cytology laboratory technician vs assistant laboratory technician overview

Cytology Laboratory TechnicianAssistant Laboratory Technician
Yearly salary$46,680$35,556
Hourly rate$22.44$17.09
Growth rate-1%
Number of jobs41,901116,488
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 68%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age4444
Years of experience1212

Cytology laboratory technician vs assistant laboratory technician salary

Cytology laboratory technicians and assistant laboratory technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Cytology Laboratory TechnicianAssistant Laboratory Technician
Average salary$46,680$35,556
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $78,000Between $21,000 And $57,000
Highest paying City-Manchester, NH
Highest paying state-California
Best paying company-Patterson-UTI Energy
Best paying industry--

Differences between cytology laboratory technician and assistant laboratory technician education

There are a few differences between a cytology laboratory technician and an assistant laboratory technician in terms of educational background:

Cytology Laboratory TechnicianAssistant Laboratory Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 68%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common majorBiologyBiology
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityUniversity of Maryland - College Park

Cytology laboratory technician vs assistant laboratory technician demographics

Here are the differences between cytology laboratory technicians' and assistant laboratory technicians' demographics:

Cytology Laboratory TechnicianAssistant Laboratory Technician
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 33.3% Female, 66.7%Male, 71.6% Female, 28.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 11.9% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 11.9% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between cytology laboratory technician and assistant laboratory technician duties and responsibilities

Cytology laboratory technician example responsibilities.

  • Lead aerobic, anaerobic and UV light testing, chemical residue testing and centrifuge to separate chemicals from water.
  • Maintain and operate laboratory equipment and commendably troubleshoot and resolve an assortment of laboratory testing analyzers and perform diverse chemical tests.
  • Read experimental protocols and perform experiments following directions (including tissue collection, molecular biology, gel electrophoresis, etc . )

Assistant laboratory technician example responsibilities.

  • Lead aerobic, anaerobic and UV light testing, chemical residue testing and centrifuge to separate chemicals from water.
  • Work with non-gynecological specimens including thin prep, cytospins or formalin and cellient cell blocks.
  • Work in cytology lab performing prep duties of surgical fluids, FNA aspirates and pap smears.
  • Verify test requirements utilizing LIS.
  • Obtain insurance authorization and provide patients resources regarding insurance coverage and financial responsibilities.
  • Collect, identify, categorize, and analyze bodily fluids relate to non-gynecological cytology.
  • Show more

Cytology laboratory technician vs assistant laboratory technician skills

Common cytology laboratory technician skills
  • Clinical Laboratory, 36%
  • Laboratory Equipment, 17%
  • Routine Maintenance, 14%
  • Non-Gynecological, 13%
  • FNA, 10%
  • Equipment Maintenance, 9%
Common assistant laboratory technician skills
  • Patients, 23%
  • Ladders, 11%
  • Computer Lab, 8%
  • Vital Signs, 7%
  • EKG, 6%
  • CPR, 5%

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